A Different Cinderella Story
by mitchkat1
Summary: Rin is content doing chores around the house and living quietly, but an invitation to a ball, a magical fairy, and an encounter with a handsome prince might change all that.


**Here's a little oneshot I wrote in my spare time. It's not my usual kind of thing in terms of the personality of the characters, but I thought it was cute. I hope you enjoy!**

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"Rin, are you really cleaning again?" Miku exclaimed with her hands on her hips. She gave a sigh and frowned. Her sister, Luka, stood behind her with the same expression. Her arms were folded as she began to scold her step-sister. "We told you to stop that. Let us do some chores too! You're always cleaning up our messes. I don't understand you!" Their blonde haired step-sister held her broom at her side and stopped cleaning for a moment. "Sorry," Rin said with little enthusiasm. "It just bothers me when stuff gets dirty."

"How do you explain your appearance then?" Miku said, pointing at Rin's dirtied pants and shirt. Unlike her step-sisters, who were dressed in pretty gowns, Rin preferred pants and dirty ones, it appeared. Rin shrugged and started to sweep again. Miku growled and grabbed the broom from Rin's hands. "That's it! I'm drawing the line here. Go do something else and let us take care of this." Rin threw up her hands in defeat. She walked out of the room she had been cleaning and closed the door. She leaned her ear against it and listened in. "What does this do again?" she heard Miku whisper. "I don't know," Luka replied.

Rin chucked at her step-sisters' ignorance. Those two had never worked a day in her life. It wasn't that Rin loved cleaning. It was that she didn't trust anyone else to clean correctly. Ever since her father remarried, Rin took pride in keeping the house clean, which impressed her new family members. She enjoyed hearing the words of praise from her step-mother and new sisters. It made her feel like she belonged in this new family.

Rin walked through the house, heading outside, when she was stopped by her step-mother. "Where are your sisters, Rin?" her step-mother asked. Rin's step-mother, Meiko, was a rare beauty, like her sisters. She had short brown hair and white skin. She looked almost like a doll. It was no wonder Rin's father had fallen in love with her at first sight. When Rin stood by her or her step-sisters, she sometimes felt inferior. They had beautiful faces and hair. They wore gorgeous dresses that fit them perfectly. Rin was nothing like them. She had hair like straw that could never decide what it wanted to do. She wore pants and loose shirts so she it would be more comfortable to do her chores. She was nothing like them. Rin didn't let that bother her often though. She knew her place in the world. To Rin, some people were meant to be princesses and others weren't.

"They're trying to clean the dining room," Rin smiled. Meiko groaned and said, "I wish they wouldn't. They'll just make a bigger mess." She ran off to find her daughters while Rin walked outside. Rin's family lived in a large mansion. Her step-mother had been extremely wealthy, even before she married Rin's father. Outside the mansion, the family kept a small farm. It consisted of some chickens, a few pigs, and an old dog. Rin grabbed an empty bucket and filled it with animal feed. This was another one of her jobs, though it was one she had volunteered for.

"Breakfast!" Rin called, tapping on the side of the bucket. All the animals came running, excited for the first meal of the day. Rin sprinkled the food on the ground and watched the chickens peck at it. She poured the remaining food in a trough for the pigs. She set out a bowl of water and food for the dog. It was fun to see all the animals so lively. They got excited over the smallest things. Rin put the bucket down, but tripped, slamming right into the dirt.

Dirt covered her pants, which were already dirty enough. Rin tried to wipe it off, but her hands were covered in dirt too. "Lovely," she whispered to herself. She would have to wash up later. Instead of going inside to clean up, Rin walked to the mansion's garden. It was a bit far removed from the rest of the estate, but it was quiet and peaceful, just how Rin liked it. In the middle of the garden was a giant tree that had been growing there since before her family had moved there. It could have been hundreds of years old. The tree had branches that were low, making it perfect for climbing. Rin hoisted herself into the tree and began to climb. Once she reached halfway, she stopped and made herself comfortable among the tree branches. It was the perfect spot. The leaves let in just enough sunlight and a tiny breeze. Rin could sit up there for ages, dreaming.

Rin was about to fall asleep in the tree when she heard the sound of horses. She opened her eyes and peaked through the leaves. From this high up in the tree, she could see the entire mansion. She saw a carriage being pulled by two elegant, white horses enter the front of the house. "Who could that be?" Rin wondered. "We weren't expecting any guests." Rin watched an official looking man exit the carriage and walk up to the front door. He had something in his hand, but she couldn't make out what. Rin watched her step-mother open the door and take whatever the man had in his hand. Then, he returned to his carriage and it disappeared into the distance.

Suddenly, there were loud cries that echoed through the air. They startled Rin so much, she almost fell out of the tree. She quickly hopped out of the tree and sprinted towards the house. What happened? She pushed open the door and yelled, "Is everyone okay?" In the main hall, her step-mother and step-sisters looked at her in surprise. Miku was holding a piece of paper tightly in her hand. She had a large smile on her face. Luka looked the same. "Rin!" Miku cried, running over to Rin. "Look!" She shoved the paper into Rin's hands. Rin held the letter to her face and began to read.

 _You have been formally invited to the birthday celebration of Prince Len tomorrow night at the royal palace. Formal attire is required. Please bring this invitation for entrance._

"Is Prince Len the third son of the King?" Rin asked. "Of course!" Luka exclaimed, taking the invitation. "How could you not know? He's only one of the three most handsome men in the entire kingdom. The other two being his brothers of course!"

"This is wonderful news, girls!" Meiko grinned, giving each of her daughters a hug. "This is an extremely high honor. I expect you all to dress your best and be on your best behavior. I will arrange for a carriage to take you there right now. I can't wait until I tell your father!" Meiko rushed off as Rin stared down at the ground. She had a slight frown. "What's wrong, Rin?" Miku asked. "You don't look very excited."

"I don't think I'm going to go," Rin confessed. "I'll only embarrass the both of you. I don't look very good in dresses and I don't think I'll have much fun in a stuffy ballroom." The idea of being with a bunch of prissy, high class nobles made Rin shiver in disgust. Though her family was wealthy, Rin never considered herself one of them. She was more of a tomboy at heart and could never stand up against royalty and the like. "You have to go," Luka cried. "It won't be the same without you." Rin shook her head, making her decision final. "You two have fun and tell me what it's like. I expect lots of stories." Miku and Luka nodded their heads, though they still seemed sad that their sister wouldn't be coming with them. Their moods improved when they began to talk about their dresses and the possibility of meeting one of the princes.

By now, it was midday. Everyone would be expecting lunch soon. Rin looked down at herself and realized she was still covered in dirt. She was a mess. It looked like she had rolled around in hay and dirt. "Me at a ball?" Rin thought to herself. "Just the idea is laughable." With that, she headed upstairs to change and wash-up. She could still hear her sisters' eager babble. It would be a long rest of the day.

The next day, Miku and Luka spent the entire day preparing themselves for the celebration. They helped each other with their hair and carefully planned out their outfits. Meiko had called for a carriage of the highest quality. It was elegant and spacious, along with being pulled by two, white horses. As nightfall drew close, Rin's sisters were starting to get anxious and gitty. "What if we do meet one of the princes?" Miku asked. "What do we say?" She was blushing at just the thought. "Just be yourself," Rin said. "Now stand still!" Rin scolded her sister as she was trying to help her pin up a piece of her hair that had fallen out of place. Miku stood up and admired herself in the mirror. "Wow!" she exclaimed. "I look like a princess, if I do say so myself!"

Miku had on a long, flowing, blue dress. It had ruffles and reminded Rin a bit of ocean waves. Her hair was curled in two long ponytails. She wore pearl jewelry and looked like a goddess of the sea. Luka had gone for a different look. Her dress was black and pink, highlighting her curves. Her hair was tied into a bun with a rose clip. She looked mature and alluring. And then there was Rin in her pants that were too short and oversized blouse. Even her bow looked inelegant and out of place. "Girls, it's time to go!" Meiko called down from the entrance hall. Miku and Luka sprinted downstairs and raced into the carriage. Rin walked down slowly to see her sisters off.

"Are you sure you don't want to come?" Meiko asked before she stepped into the carriage. "I'm sure," Rin smiled. "Have fun!" The carriage rode away as Rin waved to her family. With a sigh, she entered the house and was a bit disturbed by the uncomfortable silence. Her father wasn't at home. He was away for business. It had been a long time since Rin had the entire mansion to herself. Instead of moping around inside, Rin walked outside to the garden. Most of the flowers were in full bloom. They looked even prettier in the moonlight. There was a small river that ran alongside it. Rin leaned over it and saw her reflection.

It rippled as the water swiftly moved, making it difficult to see the reflection. Rin didn't mind. She knew it didn't look that good anyway. She stood up and began to climb the giant tree when she heard another voice. "Excuse me!" a small voice said, seemingly out of nowhere. Rin quickly turned around and saw a tiny figure floating in front of her. She rubbed her eyes in surprise. "Are you going to say something?" the person said. "I-I'm sorry!" Rin exclaimed. "But what are you?"

"I'm a fairy of course!" the creature said. "Gumi's the name!" The fairy had green hair and a little, orange dress. Her wings looked delicate as if they could break at any moment. "I'm here to make your wishes come true!" she smiled. "My wishes?" Rin questioned. "Of course!" the fairy grinned. "You'll be going to the prince's birthday of course!"

"What!? No, thanks!" Rin said defensively. "This is strange enough as it is. I don't want to go to a ball too!"

"You'll think differently once you see my magic!" Gumi said, waving her arms. Golden sparkles became to appear around Rin and suddenly, she was wearing a beautiful dress that looked like it could have been sewn out of gold. Her hair was neat and she had a white bow tied into it. Her look was simple, but elegant. On her feet were two glass slippers. "I always amaze myself," Gumi confidently grinned. "This might be my best work yet. Now, do you have a pumpkin?"

"I can't accept this!" Rin cried. "Thank you, but this isn't for me."

"Don't 'but' me!" Gumi frowned. "You deserve this. Go have some fun! Enjoy life! Fall in love!"

"Fall in love!" Rin scrunched her nose in confusion. She never thought about love before. It had always been something her step-sisters talked about. Rin never thought she would have it. "So, about that pumpkin?" Gumi continued. "We don't have any pumpkins," Rin apologized. "But we do have some turnips." Rin gestured at a small vegetable garden that was growing in the main one. "That'll have to do," Gumi sighed. With another wave of her hands, a turnip flew out of the ground and transformed into a large carriage. Rin looked at the carriage in awe. Magic was incredible! "Now we need some horses. Got any mice?"

"We have some horses in the stables," Rin offered. "That'll also work," Gumi said. She gave a whistle and the horses ran over. She strapped them to the carriage and open its door. "There you go!" Gumi beamed proudly. "Now, you have until midnight. I'm still a bit of a beginner, so my magic doesn't last very long. Be careful!" Rin nodded and stepped into the carriage. "Midnight," she thought to herself. "Got it!" She was about to thank Gumi one last time, but the fairy had disappeared. The carriage began to move. Rin watched the landscape race by as she tried to process what just happened. She felt a knot grow in her stomach. She was nervous.

Meanwhile, the prince's birthday party was just getting underway. Prince Len was turning 17 and every noble in the kingdom had been invited. It was a grand celebration, but it was also a way to introduce Len to girls. He would be of marrying age soon and he needed to meet someone. The same was true of his older brothers, Kaito and Gakupo, who also needed to find marriage partners. The King was worried about his sons' lack of love lives. The party was full of people. An entire orchestra played ballroom tunes to the amusement of the partygoers. There was a giant cake and lots of food. People were laughing and enjoying themselves, except for Len.

He had talked with several girls already and they were positively boring. They all told him about how handsome he was or what it was like to be a prince. It was obvious they wanted to marry him to be a princess. Len stood in the center of the ballroom, moping. He wanted to leave badly. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see his brother, Kaito. "For this being your birthday party, you don't look very excited!" Kaito frowned. "Lighten up. Look at all these pretty girls. They're all here for you, though I hope you'll save some for Gakupo and me."

"Take as many as you want. I'm not interested," Len sighed. "Eat some cake then," Kaito retorted. "You can't be unhappy while eating cake." Kaito looked up from his brother and made eye contact with a pretty, blue-haired girl. She smiled at him and his eyes widened. "I have to go," Kaito said, his voice cracking a bit. Len rolled his eyes as he watched his brother approach the young lady. In the other direction, his other brother, Gakupo, was doing the same with a pink-haired girl. Len wandered over to grab a piece of cake, not noticing a certain girl enter the ballroom.

Rin was amazed at the size of the ballroom. It looked bigger than her entire house. There were so many people that the sound of their voices was almost overwhelming. Everyone looked amazing. People danced elegantly around the room. "How do they do that?" Rin wondered. "I can barely move in this dress and these glass slippers hurt my feet!" Glass was not a practical shoe material. Rin wandered into the center of the ballroom, unsure of what to do. She wanted to dance, but she didn't like the music very much. It was too fancy for her. She walked over to the orchestra and whispered to the conductor. "Excuse me, but could you play something a bit livelier?" The conductor gave her a wide smile. "Of course! I've been waiting for someone to ask me that all night. My musicians have been about to fall asleep." The conductor shouted something to the orchestra and held his baton in the air. The orchestra began to play a happier song. It was good for dancing.

With a smile, Rin returned to the ballroom floor. She felt a bit more comfortable now. She really wanted to dance. If she had come all the way here, she should have at least a bit of fun. There was no way she could dance in those glass slippers though. Rin took off the shoes and left them on the ground. The marble floor was cold on her feet, but it felt good. Rin began to twirl around to the beat of the music. She didn't care that she didn't have a partner. She didn't care that people were staring at her. For once in her life, she was just having pure fun.

Whispers rushed through the crowd. A few people stared at the girl who seemed to be dancing by herself. Her dancing was a tad wild and not formal at all. Len looked up from his cake and noticed everyone staring at the center. He moved through the crowd as his eyes gazed upon the girl in the center. He felt himself turn red and his heart began to beat quickly. She was beautiful. There was something about her aura that immediately attracted him. She was so… so different. He ran up to her and grabbed her hand. Rin was startled by someone touching her. She was having such a good time. She was surprised to see a handsome man, holding her hand.

"Will you dance with me?" he exclaimed. "Please!" With a smile, Rin nodded. Len looked down at her feet and noticed that she had on now shoes. He quickly kicked his off. "I don't want to accidentally step on your feet." The two of them began to dance around the ballroom. There movements were uncoordinated, but they both couldn't stop laughing. Though they were complete strangers, it felt like they had been friends forever. The song eventually came to an end and the couple stopped dancing. Both were heavily breathing, but still smiling. "That was so much fun!" Rin said. "I'm glad I came now."

"Would you like to dance some more?" Len asked. He didn't want this girl to get away from him. Something about her was special. "I would be happy too," Rin replied. The two of them danced the night away with a bit of small talk in between. Rin seemed to forget all her worries and self-doubts, while Len's boredom vanished. They were in their own perfect world. Once the music died down, Len asked Rin if she would join him outside for a moment. He took her to a small pavilion just outside the palace.

"That was the most fun I've had in years," he told her. "Me too," Rin giggled. She sat down on a stone bench and looked up at the moon. It seemed like it was smiling down on her. She had never really talked to a boy before, but she liked it. This stranger made her feel warm inside. "What's your name?" Rin asked. "Len," he smiled. It was obviously that this girl was unaware that he was the prince, but it was better that way. It made her seem more genuine. In the moment, she looked too beautiful for words. He was entranced by her beauty and personality. She had a smile that was brighter than the sun.

"And yours?" Len asked. A loud sound rang throughout the night. It was the nearby clock tower striking midnight. Rin's eyes widened. "I have to go!" she exclaimed, remembering her promise to Gumi. She stood up and began to run. She knew the approximate direction of home. "Wait!" Len called, but he wasn't fast enough. She disappeared into the night, leaving Len confused and bewildered.

Rin ran as the magic began to fade. Her dress had disappeared completely, changing back into the dirty outfit she was wearing earlier. She still had no shoes and felt the rocks poke her feet. Rin ran home, following the road. She didn't know where else to go. Meanwhile, Len stormed into the ballroom, asking people if they knew where the girl he had been with might have disappeared to. No one knew her name or where she was from. One person said she had taken off her slippers and left them on the ballroom floor. Len found the glass slippers on the floor and carefully picked them up. One of them was cracked and look ready to fall apart. The other was in perfect condition. This slipper was his only connection to her. Len held it close to his chest. "I'll find you," he whispered. "I promise."

Rin made it home safely and spent the rest of the night dreaming about her dance with Len. She was upset that she hadn't been able to tell him her name. "It doesn't matter though," she sighed. "I'm sure he dances with a lot of girls. He won't remember me." Her step-sisters came home late and didn't wake up until late the next morning. Rin woke up early like usual to do all the chores. Once she had finished them all, her sisters had woken up and were ready for the day. "Last night was perfect!" Miku cooed. "Prince Kaito and I have a date!"

"If you think that's impressive, Prince Gakupo and I also have a date," Luka added. The two of them jumped up and down excitedly. "Good for them," Rin smiled to herself. "They deserve princes."

"What about Prince Len?" Miku whispered. "I heard he danced with a mysterious beauty last night. No one knows who she was." Rin looked up in surprise. "L-Len?" she stammered. Luka nodded. "That's right. I was surprised to hear it myself. There are rumors that he doesn't get on well with many girls." Rin felt like her legs might give out. She had danced with… a prince! That was something even Gumi's magic couldn't have given her.

"I heard he's out searching for her!" Miku added. "How romantic!"

"No way!" Rin gasped. She ran upstairs to her room, leaving her sisters confused. "It's impossible," Rin thought. "Why would he be searching for me?" She had to admit. She wanted to see him again, but he was a prince. He deserved better than her. While Rin was worrying in her room, a carriage pulled up in front of her home. There was a loud knock on the door that Rin didn't hear. Miku opened the door and was surprised to see Prince Len standing in front of her. "I'm sorry," he stuttered. "But do you know the owner of this shoe?" He held out a glass slipper on a velvet cushion. Miku noticed that he looked desperate. She knew the poor boy had fallen hard for this mystery girl.

Miku shook her head. "I'm sorry. It wasn't either of us. We danced only with your brothers and never even noticed this mystery girl."

"If you describe her to us, we might be able to remember something though," Luka said. "She was absolutely beautiful," Len began. "She had hair like gold and the face of an angel. She was light-hearted and had an amazing laugh. Her eyes were blue like the sea." Miku and Luka couldn't help but giggle at the prince's obviously glorified description. This was love in its purest form. "I don't think we know anyone like…" Miku began. "Wait." She looked over at Luka. "It couldn't be, could it? She didn't even go to the party."

"You're right," Luka agreed. "It's impossible."

"What?!" Len exclaimed. "Anything is helpful."

"Well, she sounds a bit like our little sister, but she didn't go to the ball last night."

"Please let me see her," Len pleaded. "Just in case." Miku nodded and went to grab her sister. She knocked on Rin's door and yelled, "Rin, can you come down for a second?" The door opened and Rin poked her head out. "There's someone that wants to see you." Miku and Rin walked back downstairs. Miku wouldn't tell Rin what the matter was. The two entered the main hall and Rin stopped in her tracks when she saw who was waiting at the end. It was him.

"It is you!" Len exclaimed, running towards Rin. He handed the slipper to Luka and embraced Rin. "I thought I'd never find you again!" he smiled. Rin found herself hugging him back and she didn't want to let go. "I'm really confused," Miku said loudly as she admired the scene. Luka told her to be silent and not ruin the moment. "What is your name?" Len asked. "Rin," Rin replied. "Rin," Len repeated. "I love it."

Within a month's time, the entire kingdom was in an era of celebration. All three princes would be getting married, much to the pleasure of their father. Oddly enough, they would all be marrying girls from the same family. Each pairing was happy, but Rin and Len were the happiest of them all. They found that they shared many things in common. They were a match made in heaven. Their wedding was the grandest of them all. The entire kingdom showed up for the wedding. The two exchanged vows and just as they were about to kiss under the night sky, shooting stars filled the air. They shared their first kiss under the miracle of nature or perhaps the doings of a kind fairy.


End file.
